Educational galvanoscope stand



March 5, 1968 H. RUCHLIS ETAL 3,371,433

EDUCATIONAL GALVANOSCOPE STAND Filed Nov. 9, 1965 INVENTORS BY l-hmy S ence A lP/YEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,371,433 EDUCATIONAL GALVANOSCUPE STAND Hyman Ruchlis and Harry Specter, Brooklyn, N.Y.., as-

signors to Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 506,954 Claims. (Cl. 35-19) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE The galvanoscope stand has a base which supports a coil of wire and a pair of upstanding legs which support a compass at the center of the coil of wire and which converge towards each other so as to resiliently abut against the coil of wire to retain the coil on the base.

This invention relates to an educational galvanoscope stand.

In the field of applied science projects in science education, it is desirable to provide teaching devices and visual aids which can be easily understood by the student. Further, these devices and aids must be capable of stimulating a students 'mterest, intensifying the students retention of the physical principle being verified in the demonstration and motivating the student by personal involvement. Among the additional desirable characteristics for these devices and aids are the characteristics of low production cost, compactness, and storageability in a small space.

The heretofore methods for detecting or measuring current in the classroom have generally relied on some form of structure of the classic Lord Kelvin apparatus, that is, a coil of wire wound in a vertical plane with a compass needle at its center. In order to properly detect current in the coil of wire, the plane of the coil of wire must be initially aligned with the north-south position of the compass needle so that upon energization of the coil of wire, the compass needle will rotate to a position perpendicular to the plane of the coil wire. However, most children are confused by the instructions and explanations for setting up the coil of wire and compass needle in their proper initial relationship.

Accordingly, it is arr object of this invention to provide a galvanoscope stand which facilitates the initial set-up of the galvanoscope.

It is another object of this invention to provide a galvanoscope stand which facilitates understanding of the principle of a galvanoscope.

It is another object of this invention to provide a galvanoscope stand which facilitates rapid setting up of a galvanoscope.

It is another object of this invention to provide a galvanoscope stand which is easily stored.

Generally, this invention provides a galvanoscope stand in combination With a galvanoscope having a coil of wire and a compass needle means at the center of the coil of wire wherein the galvanoscope stand has a base portion for supporting the coil of wire and a pair of legs extending outwardly of the base portion for supporting the compass needle means. The legs are further disposed in converging relation to each other to abut against the coil of wire for retaining the coil of wire on the base portion. In addition, at least one of the legs is provided with a direction indicating means parallel to the top edge surface of the leg for facilitating the initial set-up of the galvanoscope.

In order to properly use the galvanoscope stand, the coil of wire is seated on the base portion of the stand between the converging legs so that the legs abut against the coil of wire; the legs thereby acting to retain the coil of wire in a secure position on the stand. Thereafter, the compass 3,371,433 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 needle is placed on the top surfaces of the legs of the stand which are of sufficient extent to place the compass needle means at the center of the coil of wire. The stand 1s then orientated with respect to the compass needle to align the north-south position of the compass needle with the plane of the coil of wire. This orientation is facilitated by the direction indicating means of one of the legs of the stand. That is, since the direction indicating means is parlel to the top surface of the leg and the leg is always parallel to the plane of the coil of wire by construction, the stand need only be turned until the compass needle is parallel to the direction indicating means or more precisely, the top surface of the leg.

Thus, the galvanoscope stand provides a simple, easily understood educational device which facilitates the rapid set-up of a galvanoscope apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the inventron will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a galvanoscope stand of this invention supporting a coil of wire and compass needle means of a galvanoscope;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the galvanoscope stand and galvanoscope components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an end view of the galvanoscope stand and galvanoscope components of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a galvanoscope composed of a coil of wire 5' which is connected to a suitable current supply source (not shown) by the ends 6, 6' of the wire and a compass needle means '7 which has a suitable compass needle 8 properly supported therein is supported on a galvanoscope stand 9. The galvanoscope stand 9 is formed of any suitable nonmagnetic resilient material, such as a sheet metal, with a generally channel shaped cross-section. The galvanoscope stand 9 has a base portion 10 upon which the coil of wire 5 is supported and a pair of outwardly extending legs 11 upon which the compass needle means is supported. The legs ill are further disposed in converging relation to each other at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to abut against the sides of the coil of wire 5 so as to retain the coil of wire 5 on the base portion 10 of the galvanoscope stand 9.

The galvanoscope stand 9 is constructed with suitable dimensions so that the coil of wire 5 is suitably supported therein and so that the compass needle means 7 is supported on fiat horizontal surfaces parallel to the base portion 1% at the center of the coil of wire 5. Further, each of the legs 11 is provided with a suitable direction indicating means 12, such as a double headed arrow, which is parallel to the top edge surface of the leg.

In order to utilize the galvanoscope stand 9, the coil of wire 5 is initially supported on the base portion 1% and retained thereon by the converging legs 11. Thereafter, the compass needle means 7 is placed on the top surfaces of the legs 11 so that it is thereby positioned at the center of the coil of wire 5. The galvanoscope stand 9 is then rotated until the compass needle 3 is aligned in its north-south position with one of the direction indicating arrows 12. Since the direction indicating arrow is parallel with the top edge of the leg 11 and the leg is always parallel to the plane of the coil of wire 5, the compass needle 8 will then be in proper alignment with the plane of the coil of wire 5 for the start of the physical demonstration.

Thereafter, when current is suitably supplied to the coil of wire 5 through the ends 6, 6 of the wire, the compass needle 8 will rotate degrees into an east-west position so as to indicate the flow of current through the coil of wire 5.

The galvanoscope stand 9 provides a low cost educational device which very clearly and understandably facilitates the rapid set-up of a galvanoscope by a student. The galvanoscope stand 9 further is of a construction which allows rapid disassembly so that the coil of wire 5 and compass needle means 7 can be used for other suitable purposes. In addition, the galvanoscope stand 9 is of such a compact structure that it can be easily stored in a minimum space.

The galvanoscope stand 9 of this invention provides an educational device which can be readily introduced into a low expenditure budget of educational institutions to provide a means for reducing the time of setting up physical exhibits for classroom demonstration so that the productive time available for lecture and visual demonstration is increased.

Having thus described the invention, it is not intended that it be so limited as changes may be readily made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the subject matter described above and shown in the drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a galvanoscope having a coil of wire and a compass needle means at the center of said coil of wire, a one-piece galvanoscope stand having a base portion for supporting said coil of wire thereon and 4 a pair of legs extending outwardly of said base portion for supporting said compass needle means on the free side thereof said legs being disposed in converging relation to each other to resiliently abut against said coil of wire for retaining said coil of wire on said base portion.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said legs are parallel to the plane of said coil of wire, and at least one of said legs has a direction indicating means thereon for facilitating the initial set-up of said galvanoscope.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said direction indicating means is parallel to the top edge surface of said one of said legs and to said base portion.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said galvanoscope stand is made of nonmagnetic material.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said legs converge at an angle of approximately 15 degrees.

References Cited Chicago Apparatus Co., Catalog No. 44, pages 71 and 72.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. H. GRIEB, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,371,433 March 5 1968 Hyman Ruchlis t a1 It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 3, for "side" read ends Signed and selaed this 24th day of June 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. 

